VIENNA – Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months despite recent US and Israeli airstrikes targeting key nuclear facilities, according to the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog. The warning raises fresh concerns over the effectiveness of efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Sunday that Iran retains the technical ability to restart enrichment using cascades of centrifuges. “In a matter of months, or even less, they could be spinning and producing enriched uranium again,” Grossi told CBS News in an interview set to air Sunday.
Earlier this month, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iran, later joined by the US, with the aim of eliminating Tehran’s nuclear threat. Washington claims the strikes damaged Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. However, Grossi noted that Iran’s scientific knowledge and infrastructure make it difficult to completely dismantle its nuclear capabilities.
“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared,” Grossi said. “You cannot undo the knowledge that Iran has already acquired in nuclear technology.” Western officials agree that Iran’s advances have led to irreversible gains, even if infrastructure is damaged.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning on Friday, stating he may order more bombing if Iran resumes high-level uranium enrichment. His comments followed reports that Iran may have relocated its stockpile of highly enriched uranium before the strikes. Grossi admitted that the current location of that material remains unclear.
Despite insisting its nuclear program is peaceful, Tehran has faced years of international scrutiny. As tensions remain high, Grossi urged for renewed diplomacy, warning that “the risk of escalation remains real.”